Singer and songwriter Rowlene, spoke to Nounouche Magazine just ahead of the release of her latest single “Sweet Escape”.

Rowlene delved into her choice to become an independent artist, her EP “Moments in Between,” and much more.
Recalling her first show after the pandemic — Rocking the Daisies in 2022 — it was her first time performing at the largest music and lifestyle festival in South Africa as an independent artist.

“It was a nice welcome back to where I started and also a reminder of how far I’ve come even with all the challenges,” she adds as we begin our interview.

Being an independent artist again has really helped Rowlene learn so much about herself and the industry. “Making a song as an artist and then bringing that idea to life is quite something, that process is magical. As an independent artist, it is nice to keep evolving and not having any attachment to a specific outcome.”

As we dive into Rowlene’s personal life, she speaks about being authentic and the legacy she wishes to leave behind.

“As a person, I want to do normal things. At some point, that was impossible for me because I was always in my head. Now I spend time thinking about what I want to do as an artist and the person I want to become. Even how I want to be perceived by my friends and family is really important to me. I got so consumed by what others wanted from me or expected me to accomplish at a certain time. Now I get to authentically be myself. Personally, I feel that the word ‘authentic’ is used so often that it loses its meaning. I really want to be proud of the legacy I leave behind. My character is something that I am very serious about. Having open conversations with my friends about being an artist because we are all trying to chase our dreams — it’s a very delicate thing at the same time. Being independent really helps develop your character in ways unimaginable.”

Rowlene has been in the industry for a while now and highlights the importance of setting boundaries.

“I think that boundaries are important and that everyone should learn that in their own time. It’s an individual experience that everyone has to go through to understand how far or dark that line is for themselves. That line should never be blurred. In this industry, everyone is friends with everyone, no matter how fickle or real. Everyone knows everyone. I think the main task at play is maintaining a healthy relationship with everyone. I think it’s important that you don’t put yourself second. By understanding what you are willing to do as a person and then making decisions based on that, whether it’s a relationship, a song that comes out, or even a conversation. You should always feel good about it and trust your gut. In that way, you learn about yourself and your boundaries.”

When it comes to some of the lessons she has learned through music and life, Rowlene shares: “You can have friends and you can have business partners. Getting your business in order and understanding what it is that you want. Sometimes the people in your circle don’t really want the same things for you. I think it’s hard for you to navigate through anything without support. Everyone thinks that they are on this independent journey alone. I don’t believe in that. Everyone is in your life for a reason. They serve their purpose and you move on. It’s not as easy as what I’m saying though. You have to move on from certain things and those are relationships you share with people. But not everyone is supposed to go to the next chapter with. As much as they are a part of the whole story, not each chapter is supposed to be served with certain characters, and that’s okay. I feel like a lot of people mistake that for loyalty and that is not essentially what it is about.

I think that understanding what it is that you want from the people around you, whether that is friends or business partners, sharing that information is really important but also don’t overshare. The evil eye is a real thing. Even that is something you shouldn’t be thinking about when you’re around your friends. That is something I am very conscious of. The second I feel a bit off about speaking on something, I stop myself and redirect the conversation. Again, it’s about being mindful of the company you keep and being vocal about where it is you are wanting to go.”

“Moments in Between” was released in February and consists of three songs: “Promises,” “Overdose,” and “Don’t Let Go.” The EP has a runtime of eight minutes, showcasing Rowlene’s growth as an artist. “I am really proud of the project. I feel like I am learning so much about what I can do when I set my intention on something positive and whatever I think that I can achieve.”

Rowlene has been learning the ropes with every release. From writing press releases to making sure she sends out music well in advance to be considered for playlisting, there is always something new. She now has a checklist to make sure she ticks all the boxes.

Some of the advice Rowlene would give other artists is knowing who your target market is: “With my project, I learned so much that I know what works and when I say things; what reaction or feeling I’d want the person to feel when listening to the song. Knowing how I want things to look, everything is so much more intentional and clearer. This project allowed me to trust myself more. As much as it is not always easy to articulate yourself to other people, I need to put things on paper and have follow-up plans if things don’t work out. Knowing how to divert when things aren’t working is so important. You can’t be attached to an outcome at any point.”

As we wind down our conversation, I ask Rowlene about her relationship with writing. She has four notebooks just to write songs and that is still not enough for her many ideas.

“I even have notes on my phone, when ideas come to me I create quick notes and send them to myself.”

“Sweet Escape” is a record which she has had for the last three years and felt it wasn’t the right time to release the song before its eventual release date in June.

I found this interesting and asked what her thought process was behind keeping the song for that long. “I know how to hold onto a song until the right moment. Nobody knew about the song or even that it existed. If people don’t know what you’re doing, then they won’t know what to expect. I had the element of surprise, and nobody knows what I’m trying to do. It’s really insane,” Rowlene explains.

“Moments in Between” is a project that speaks to Rowlene’s growth, and she shares that her next releases will be articulated in a similar fashion. Writing down her goals has become very instrumental in Rowlene’s success. “I think it’s extremely important that you write things down. I wish you could see my office right now. I have so many sticky notes. It’s colour coordinated from most important to least important. I have to journal everything all the time. I’m always asking myself how I can write about this or how has this situation happened in my life before.”

She shares some of her humble beginning memories of recording her first few songs. Just like any aspiring artist, her journey started in a home studio. “My first experience as an artist was recording in a home studio. It was like crack; I couldn’t stay away. I lived for Fridays because it was the day that I got to make music.”

She recalls her Soundcloud days with a lot of gratitude. “I was figuring things out. I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t know this would be something I’d pursue or take seriously at any point. I’m happy for the people that believed in me enough to actually put those songs out. They are still there; I could have removed them. But I don’t think those songs are worth removing. I would like for every aspiring artist to see that we all started from somewhere.”